Emo 2025 Tier List: B+ Tier (cont)
Halt Or I’ll Shoot! - And I’ll Look Back and Remember (B+ Tier)
Halt Or I'll Shoot! is a solo Screamo project by Idaho's own Thomas Zucchini. His sophomore album is another fairly traditional Screamo album, emphasizing dynamics, melody and dissonance, marrying these elements with their own brand of anger and catharsis. Midwest Emo influence is present, guiding the general songwriting process while adding ethereal Post-Rock tones for maximum effectiveness. At 30 minutes, this album is a snug way to wallow away.
caer mal - dos abrazos infinitos (B+ Tier)
Dos abrazos infinitos is a very intimate debut studio album from longtime Bogota band caer mal, chronicling their journey as a group between 2014 and 2018. The intro track has more than a passing resemblance to Never Meant, which is honestly par for the course for this time period. However, the Kinsella influence isn't just surface level as the musicians have legitimate pedigrees and incorporate jazzy tones, riffs and beats masterfully throughout. A more streamlined experience could have made this legendary, but as it stands, caer mal have woven themselves in the fabric of Colombian DIY music.
Ariadne’s Thread - Another Way To Get There (B+ Tier)
Another Way To Get There is a grueling Screamo / Mathcore / Emoviolence EP that emphasizes dissonance, heavy tones and absolute carnage. While perhaps just a reference to Greek mythology, their name nonetheless invokes Saetia, and such invocations require great musicianship to back it up. The band is thankfully up to the task, weaving dynamically through cryptic sonic passages. At 15 minutes long, this EP makes you want more - desperately.
STOMACH BOOK - GOODNIGHT HYPNOPOMP (B+ Tier)
Infamous Fifth Waver STOMACH BOOK is at it again with another trippy album, brimming with distortion, various synths, disjointed samples and a generally experimental brushstroke. The Dark Carnival vibes permeate this whacky 40-minute ride, but it's somewhat cleaner overall than their older works. As long as Vivi keeps releasing these era-defining records, we should all keep listening, even if the enormous breadth of inspirations sprawled across this could turn off less adventurous Emo fans.
Joliette - Pérdidas variables (B+ Tier)
Longtime Mexican Hardcore artist Joliette has had a fruitful career exploring Screamo, Post-Hardcore and even Mathcore for over a decade now, unsatisfied with remaining complacent. This latest album finds the band iterating on their Screamo-centric sound with spacey atmospheric textures, chunky metallic tones and lengthy instrumental passages. This builds somewhat off their Post-Rock-heavy EP Luz de Bengala, except with a strong Post-Metal undercurrent.
Raein - Forme sommerse (B+ Tier)
After ten years of hiatus, Italian Screamo pioneers Raein return with an album composed only of two lengthy tracks, but they do well to summarize and perhaps culminate the musical journey of this band. The first track is more reminiscent of Il n'y a pas d'orchestre, their 2003 masterpiece that started Italy’s obsession with Post-Rock, but with active, heavy sections of Emoviolence. The second track is more sparse and atmospheric, showcasing the gorgeous late-era soundscapes they became known for. While neither track is the end-all, be-all of their discography, this return to form is exactly what longtime fans were hoping for.
yubiori - yubiori2 (B+ Tier)
Following their hidden gem Split EP with fellow Japanese Emo band Acle, I was excited to hear what a new full-length release would sound like. This year, yubiori2 released without a lot of fanfare, and that’s a shame; their sophomore LP is a bit more polished than their older work, and gives into slightly Poppy tendencies throughout. However, the high energy, mathy riffs and catchy vocals make this a very fun release, even if it’s a tad long at over 45 minutes in length.
Brownie Points - Some Way, We’ll Get There (B+ Tier)
What begins as fun, harmless Emo Revival-esque Midwest Emo with light but excited vocals devolves into sections of Midwest Screamo, complete with heavy chugging, huge breakdowns and brutal drumming. Further into the rabbit hole still and there’s even traditional Midwest Screamo with clean, twinkly leads and strained, passionate screaming. Despite being a tad disjointed as a result of these elements being mishmashed together, it’s one of the most lively and entertaining records of the entire year.
Virginia’s Basement - Dearly, (B+ Tier)
Despite this band utilizing frantic Post-Hardcore as a base for their songs, the soft lead synth that accompanies these tracks infuses them with warmth and bittersweetness. The Emo elements allow for the songs to become alive with peaks and valleys while the vocalists’ gruff singing adds dismay and a distinctly “human” component. Each track moves fairly briskly and with purpose, so when that 30-minute runtime expires, you’ll be ready to play this over and over again.
i practice saying sorry to you so i can do it in front of the mirror one day - thank you for so little, sorry for so much (B+ Tier)
Do you like abrasive Electronic elements in your Screamo without the band using them as a crutch or because they’re trendy? Enter i practice saying sorry, a band from Liepzig, Germany whose basement aesthetic is strongly reminiscent of extremely early mid-90s Screamo from the area. Carrying this tradition forward, the band crafts unpolished, noisy and intimate music with excellent quiet-loud dynamics and a tasteful use of Electronics that imbue each song with bittersweetness.
Aren’t We Amphibians - Parade! Parade! (B+ Tier)
The finest band from America’s Finest City, Aren’t We Amphibians’ debut album is a triumphant, momentous statement. Though a touch less Mathy than their earlier EPs, the powerful, raw production, which is especially prevalent in the dynamic vocal performance, truly enhances the listening experience for this trio. Still, the catchy vocals, visceral screaming, incredible lead guitarwork, serene trumpeting and passionate drumming that you’ve come to expect from AWA are present. This would be in contention for AOTY had I not already heard the previous version of Forgiving Jeff hundreds of times before, even if I like the new version too.
soccer. - Internet (B+ Tier)
soccer., Japan’s latest in a long line of incredible Screamo artists, release their second album in as many years, and it could be one of the most desolate and intimate of the 2025. The contrasts on this album are about as stark as one could hope for in a genre like this, with plenty of screamed vocals over relatively clean Emo. Other times, they up the ante with gigantic buildups and intense crescendos. Other times still, they’ll play some soft acoustic track or instrumental over a sample. For variety and disparity alone, you need to listen to this.
I’m Sorry Emil - I’m Sorry Emil (B+ Tier)
I’m Sorry Emil is a brand new Midwest Screamo band from the UK, whose s/t debut EP was mastered by the GOAT Will Killingsworth himself. His mastering has a notable and staggering influence on the tone of the music, which tends to be a bit more abrasive than most Twinkly Midwest Screamo. Contrasting this, the cleans are beauteous and simple, simultaneously alleviating all built-up tension while summoning more to come.
Ben Quad - Wisher (B+ Tier)
Wisher seems like the album that Ben Quad always secretly wished to record but never could before. The band's last EP, a Screamo joint made possible by the many diehard Quadrinos, emboldened them to embrace all the disparate influences dear to their hearts. This is evident in the various sounds that compose the record, including the screaming, riffing and anthemic clean singing you've come to expect, but also embracing their newfound Electronic affinity and Third-Wave-inspired songwriting. The vulnerability of this alone makes it worth your time.
That’s it for today! Tomorrow we’ll finish out everything pre-top 10! We’re in the homestretch, and trust me when I say what comes later is AWESOME!
